Suspended leader still on payroll

Monday

Jun 30, 2008 at 12:01 AMJun 30, 2008 at 1:09 PM

The Delaware-Union Educational Service Center has paid its superintendent to stay home since March, and the center's board says there are no plans to bring him back to the office, discipline him or investigate him.

So James L. Crawford continues to get his roughly $125,000-a-year salary, his $350 monthly car allowance and his center-paid cell phone. And on Aug. 1, he's slated to receive an annual $4,000 raise.

The Delaware-Union Educational Service Center has paid its superintendent to stay home since March, and the center's board says there are no plans to bring him back to the office, discipline him or investigate him.

So James L. Crawford continues to get his roughly $125,000-a-year salary, his $350 monthly car allowance and his center-paid cell phone. And on Aug. 1, he's slated to receive an annual $4,000 raise.

"The best way to say it is, we're still looking at things and we haven't come to a conclusion," said Ed Bischoff, a Delaware-Union board member. President Teri Morgan said she could not say what the board planned to do with Crawford.

The Delaware-Union board, which oversees a $13.8 million taxpayer-funded budget, has never explained the purpose of Crawford's suspension.

But he earned low marks in his most recent reviews. And in March, the board issued a letter of direction that told Crawford, among other things, to stop playing golf and shredding documents during the workday and to account for his use of sick and vacation time.

Crawford didn't want to talk about his suspension last week.

"I assume that sometime in the near future I may have more to say, but I believe it is in my best interest to wait and see what unfolds," he said in an e-mail.

Experts say paid leave -- even indefinite paid leave -- isn't uncommon, and it doesn't break any state laws or ethics rules. Unpaid leave is an option only if a board has started proceedings to fire an employee, said Tom Ash, director of governmental relations at the Buckeye Association of School Administrators.

Crawford's contract expires July 31, 2010.

The League of Women Voters of Ohio, which advocates for improved government and public policy, says that in situations like these, boards shouldn't operate in secrecy.

"We certainly have a position (that) there should be transparency," said Deidra Reese, the league's executive director.

About the same time Crawford was suspended, the Delaware-Union board voted to merge with the Educational Service Center of Franklin County. At the time, Delaware's member school districts were defecting, citing poor service.

School districts purchase special-education, therapy and staff-training services from the Delaware center to reduce costs and boost buying power.

The Franklin County center, which is larger, initially said it had no intention of merging; it would just take on the additional school districts.

Things seem to have changed, as talks about a merger have reignited. But several board members from the Delaware and Franklin County centers, as well as Franklin County Superintendent Bart Anderson, refused to talk about a possible merger.

They said the public must wait to learn what will happen to services. State law says all employees' contracts must be honored if a merger goes through, so Crawford's job doesn't seem endangered by a merger.

Morgan, the Delaware-Union president, said lawyers for the two centers are handling the negotiations. School districts that buy services from the centers say they've been kept in the loop.

"Both parties are positive and trying to be proactive. They've asked us not to say anything," said Big Walnut Superintendent April Domine.

jsmithrichards@dispatch.com

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